Malivoire Wine Company is one of those wineries in Niagara that is comfortable in its own skin. There is a cadence about how they do their business: slowly and steadily identifying key varietals and styles and building on them.
Think of Malivoire and your thoughts immediately go to Gamay, rosé and Chardonnay. This is what they do and this is where they keep adding to and tweaking the portfolio to get better at what they do best. It isn’t all they do, there are plenty of other treats to be found, but this is the foundation upon which the business is built on.
That was made perfectly clear during a visit to the Beamsville Bench winery to taste new and upcoming releases with winemaker Shiraz Mottiar (top photo and collage above) and GM Stephen Gash.
Here’s what I liked from our tasting.
Malivoire Moira Rosé 2015 ($25, 91 points) — Malivoire takes its rosé very seriously. The grapes that go into this style of wine are grown specifically for rosé, not as an outlet for declassified red grapes or to plug a hole in a portfolio during the lean years. Owner Martin Malivoire adores rosé and travels extensively — primarily to France — to taste the different styles being made and duplicate them in the terroir of Niagara. The Moira rosé is a single-vineyard expression made from 100% Pinot Noir. The nose is delicate and pretty with subtle raspberry and strawberry notes. It’s a drink-me-all-day style, made dry with red fruits and floral notes on the palate. Quite delicious.
Malivoire Vivant Rosé 2015 ($22, 90 points) — This rosé has a slightly deeper colour than the Moira and is a touch more overt on the nose with the raspberry and cherry fruit taking centre stage. It’s made slightly less dry on the palate with intense fruit in a clean and vibrant style.
Malivoire Lady Bug Rosé 2015 ($16, 89 points) — In many ways, this is the flagship wine from Malivoire. The first Lady Bug was produced in 1998 and the winery hasn’t skipped a vintage since. It is a mainstay on the shelves of the LCBO and has emerged as the top-selling rosé at the government liquor store. It’s a blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Pinot Noir with a lovely nose of cherry, strawberry, herbs and floral notes. It’s made with a touch of sweetness and the red fruits are amplified on the palate but balanced out by racy acidity. Just a lovely sipper on a hot day on the porch.
Malivoire Pinot Gris 2015 ($22, 88 points) — Made in a ripe style with concentrated peach, apricot and apple notes on the nose. It’s juicy on the palate with peach and apple flavours that are bold and sassy through the finish.
Malvoire Stouck Vineyard Viognier 2015 ($27, 89 points) — The fruit is sourced from assistant winemaker Dan Stouck’s family vineyards in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appellation. It’s made in a fresh style (no oak) with ripe apricot, peach and apple aromas. On the palate, it’s mellow, fleshy even, with a basket of ripe fruit and enough acidity to offer some balance through the finish.
Malivoire Chardonnay 2014 ($20, 89 points) — Made from estate fruit, the nose is expressive with pear, apple, subtle spice and freshness. The pear/apple notes give way to a defined minerality on the palate. This Chard is en pointe and balanced in a clean, fresh style with subtle spice notes.
Malivoire Mottiar Vineyard Chardonnay 2013 ($30, 92 points) — A departure from the warmer 2012 vintage of this single-vineyard Chard from Mottiar’s own farm. It has a spicy nose with poached pear, lime and lemon zip and gorgeous minerality. It feels bright and fresh on the palate, with beautiful texture and the pear-citrus notes lifted by electric acidity. Wonderful Chard.
Malivoire Moira Vineyard Chardonnay 2012 ($40, 91 points) — Nicely mature Chard showing perfect balance with a nose of pear, apple, minerals and spice. It’s full and rich on the palate with lovely texture and integrated fruit and spice.
Malivoire “Le Coeur” Gamay 2014 ($20, 90 points) — You could say the essence of the winemaker (Mottiar) is in this wine, afterall he foot stomped the grapes all by himself. This shows lovely plump plums, red fruits and cassis. It’s fresh on the palate with cran-cherry and plum fruits with earthy-brambly notes and nervy acidity. A stripped down, bare-bones Gamay for gulping all summer long.
Malivoire Courtney Gamay 2013 ($26, 93 points) — Perhaps the best, most complex and interesting Gamay being made in Niagara. This is wow wine even though Gamay purists will scoff at the fact that 20-30% of the fruit is aged in tight-grain French oak. But it works here beautifully. The expressive nose shows a range of plums, cassis and black cherry with toasted oak and spice notes. It’s juicy and spicy on the palate with hedonistic dark and red fruits and wood spice undertones. This is wow wine and there is no reason you can’t cellar this for bit.
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